New laws excluding political prisoners from taking part in the elections in Myanmar due later this year have met with sharp international criticism. The legislation makes it impossible for opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi to stand for election.

The US said the laws make a mockery of the process of democratisation in Myanmar (also known as Burma). Great Britain and the Philippines have also expressed condemnation. UN leader Ban Ki-Moon has called on the junta in Myanmar to keep the elections fair and allow all citizens of Myanmar to take part, including Aung San Suu Kyi.

Today the junta surprisingly decided to allow the offices of Suu Kyi's party, the National League for Democracy, to reopen for the first time in seven years. In 2003 an attack was carried out on Suu Kyi's convoy and the junta seized the opportunity to close down the party's offices.